Chapter 6:
Caroline zoned into the mirror one hand carefully holding her curls in place, as her second hand took the clip and secured it into place. Slowly she lowered her arms watching as her hair moved slightly lower, not enough to ruin the effect the blonde had been going for. Pink lips spread into a wide smile as blonde curls were clipped with a glittered blue barrette into a side ponytail. Her make-up was set to light blue eyeshadow, her custom pink lip-gloss and just a bit of mascara. She looked perfect.
Buzz
Buzz
Caroline sighed answering with a "Hello, Elena."
"Caroline! I'm so sorry that we kept it from you. I didn't even know until Bonnie told me. The less people knew the better. I just can't believe you released the originals."
Caroline shook her head, "Elena I don't question the reasoning, it sucks but I get it. Elena, they took Klaus's entire family away then Bonnie proceeded to unleash HIS MOTHER. Other than the occasional threat to act if we do what has Klaus done?"
"Klaus is a monster Caroline. Look at all he has done! Stefan was trying to protect us."
"You, he was trying to protect you," Caroline retorted. "Elena, I'm not saying Klaus is not a psychopath. I am saying that he let Stefan go and was not after us until Stefan decided to mess with him. Aren't you tired of all this fighting?"
Caroline closed her eyes pleading that her friend would listen. The blonde lived through this war; this would only open the door for bigger monsters to attack us. It cost Bonnie the love of her life, Elena her humanity for a time, Damon his brother and his vampirism, Caroline her husband, Alaric is fiancée and other loves, Jeremy his life multiple times, and Matt the loss of security and his family. This stupid tug-a-war between her friends and the Originals had to end. Eventually the weariness this war has caused will cost the blonde her childhood friendships.
Caroline was so fucking done with loss.
"Of course, I am, Care. Now we have the whole family to deal with. Esther…. She wants to see me" Elena confided.
"Let me guess, The Salvatore's do not want you to go," Caroline rolled her eyes.
"No, they really don't. This could be our only chance to see what she wants."
"Be careful, Elena. We don't know anything about her," Caroline urged, going over to her bed where Klaus's gift rested. The blonde was careful when opening the box up not to jostle the phone.
"I'll see you there, Care."
Buzz
Buzz
Blue eyes rolled as Stefan's name appeared on her phone. Upon leaving the grill Caroline realized just how stupid she was for telling Elena what she had done. The baby vampire was sure that Elena blurted out what Caroline had done. Mostly certainly played a part in Elena's apology just now. The brunette must have felt guilty, thinking she was somehow tricked into helping the Original family, maybe even consider her a traitor. Damon at least would view her with disdain before mocking her with an untoward comment. Just for tonight she would ignore it, because tonight she got to dance with Klaus.
Buzz
Buzz
Carefully she stepped into the dress, ensuring that the straps stayed on her shoulders. When her cell would not stop, she turned it off. Not tonight, she would not listen to Stefan questioning her decisions, or Bonnie's judgmental tone. All the while they assume that she was being used for someone else's gain. She would enjoy herself, allow herself to be courted by the Mikaelson if he in fact tried.
"He is your first love; I intend to be your last. However long it takes."
Caroline Forbes was done trying to be exactly what her friends wished she was. She listened to them make plans without her, ignoring her concerns, snapping her neck on occasion. Caroline watched as Elena agreed to be in coma to allow Bonnie to live her life even if it means never seeing Bonnie again. She also watched as Elena painstakingly had to choose between two brothers, one who was her friends' rapist. Watched as Elena forgave Damon, forcing her to be near the man, but never defending her friend or offering her much of a chance to not be near the man.
She also endured their teasing about Klaus, how infatuated he seemed to be with her. Allowed herself to be used as bait for the Mikaelson, despite knowing he could kill her. That the only reason she was not dead was because he was fond of her, even enjoyed when she fought him. Caroline endured the teasing, being pushed toward him and the shocked faces when she had indeed finally slept with him. The Salvatore brothers being the only ones who even if they disliked Klaus were not truly surprised.
If Damon had a redeeming quality outside of loving Elena, it was not judging making bad choices. Caroline looked at herself in the mirror with a smile. She looked beautiful, and she was done pushing someone away out of fear. If her friends did not approve, then perhaps she'll show them just how little she approves of their choices. Saying goodnight to her mother, the baby vampire made her way to the Mikaelson family mansion.
XXX
Niklaus Mikaelson stood with a drink in his head talking to some of his mother's guests. Playing the part of good son, watching out of the corner of his eye as his siblings did the same. He was half listening to his guest, the townies were dreadfully boring, when he saw her.
She walked in as a vision in blue, her hair turned up into a sort of side ponytail. She truly was sight to behold, one he had no intention of letting out of his. The ancient vampire turned his gaze toward the blue vision, quickly making his excuses to the unremarkable guest. Niklaus subconsciously licked his lips, he knew that dress would look absolutely divine on her.
"Good Evening" He greeted his eyes taking her in as if he could not get enough. Instead of the expected scoff and eye roll combination he half expected, he saw her smile. Not wishing to take such a gift for granted, Niklaus stepped closer.
"Klaus," Caroline smiled extending her hand to him, the hybrid quickly grasped it into his own. Kissing her covered hand on its back with a small smirk.
"Care to take a walk with me, love?" He asked offering her his arm. Much to his shock the blonde did not scoff and walk away but rather locked her arm with his. Allowing him to lead them around the room. Knowing that his mother would be rather cross if he missed the opening dance. He was not willing to test her, not with a baby vampire so close. This was one vampire he was far to intrigued by to allow her to fall into his mother's clutches.
Caroline and Klaus opened their mouths to speak only to notice the other. Together they laughed, looking the other way as a blush rose on Caroline's cheek and a wide smile appeared on Niklaus's. Neither was aware of the eyes that watched them. Some were curious, others shocked, one calculating.
"Thank you for inviting me," Caroline laughed out at last as they found themselves in front of a snowflake painting.
"You're welcome. It's the least I can to for the one who released my siblings from Stefan's rather angry clutches," The last part whispered into her ear, the man enjoying the way she seemed to still at his closeness.
"As confusing as I find it that you'd want them daggered, I figured you would dislike them being held captive more," Caroline teased keeping her voice at a whisper. It was rather hypnotic how Niklaus's eyes danced with amusement, he was all boyish charm with none of the naivete. He practically invented the term dangerous. Truth be told he was probably the original "bad boy" much to her amusement.
"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours," Klaus whispered, as he closed the distance between them. Standing by her side one hand pressed against her back.
"Oh, I was just thinking about how you probably were the reason the term 'bad boy' was invented," Caroline rambled going on how amusing the thought was. The ancient vampire laughed out loud, rewarding her with a dimpled smile.
XXX
Esther Mikaelson watched as the abominations that were her children mingled amongst the masses. Her oldest remaining child, Finn remained close at hand forever her understanding sweet son. He was the only one of his siblings who understood just how imbalanced the world became with their creation.
Nature turned against them, and they became beasts to their most basic urges. Her eyes found her most troublesome child, Niklaus. Her beloved son was talking with a young blonde woman. However, it was the way her son belted out at something that the young woman said that shocked her. Niklaus has always been a sweet child, as a human he was kind, generous and as cocky as his brothers. Yet there was a gentleness in him that did not translate to his siblings.
She thought their humanity had been lost long ago, yet this wisp of a thing managed to do in minutes what Esther was so sure he had lost long ago. He seemed carefree interacting with that woman, in a way she had not seen since he was a young child before her husband truly began his reign of tough love. Their time was not made for loving relations, not if they wanted their bloodline to continue.
They had already lost Freya. She knew that Mikael could not survive a third loss after Henrik. Their desperation turned their once beloved children into monsters, yet Esther stood watching as a part of her middle child seem to return. Turning her attention away from her bastard child, Esther turned to Elijah and nodded once for him begin the opening dance.
With a flourish Elijah had quickly gained the attention of their guests. She watched as all her children came to stand with her on the staircase. Elijah standing at the front with all his siblings staggered along the staircase with her at the end, looking down at the residents of Mystic Falls. Ah there was the doppelganger, recognizing the familiar face of Tatia. Esther idly wondered if this girl enjoyed toying with men as her ancestor once had.
Spying two vampires standing close to her, Esther knew she was not far off the mark. Her eyes found a pair of blue eyes staring at her with determination and anger. It was the girl that was with Niklaus before their opening announcement. The matriarch watched as the generation's doppelganger kept looking between herself and the blonde. Worry clearly set in the doppelganger's eyes.
That could be useful.
"Welcome. Thank you for joining us" Elijah paused. "You know whenever our mother brings our family together like this, its tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries old waltz. So, if all of you can please find themselves a partner and join us in the ballroom."
"Shall we sweetheart?" Klaus asked offering Caroline his arm walking up to her before another could. The smile she gave him was blinding, "We shall."
"I'm glad that you came" His voice was surprisingly soft, large hands coming to grip her waist, her hand on his shoulder. His other hand gripping her spare as the hold on her waist tightened as she was pulled closer before allowing her to step back into the line across from him.
"Perhaps I'm tired of hiding my curiosity," Caroline smirked at his eye wide stare, both raising their hands as the dance required. Carefully she followed his lead allowing a small smile to spread across her face at the realization that they both indeed knew the steps.
"What curiosities are those, love?" His question came out of nowhere. Caroline looked him in the eye as she allowed herself a few steps to think up of her answer.
"What would make the original hybrid consider saving a baby vampire who was supposed to be his sacrifice."
They switched sides, Caroline tried to ignore the memory of his touch, another rare memory that she was allowed to keep in full clarity. As they danced, Caroline felt like ghosts of her past were at her heels teasing her with slips of memory. She could remember but because they were tied to memories locked into the fog, she knew what they were, but only small gaps would sneak past her witch induced fog. When they escaped it was as if she was touched by fire, but otherwise they remained under wraps.
Why were her memories of Klaus both full of clarity but under the witches' fog? The blonde shook her head, she needed to find a way to contact the ancestors.
"Perhaps it's the same reason a baby vampire would risk the wrath of her friends to save the family of someone who has attacked her friends in the past."
Caroline risked looking into his eyes as they shared a heated gaze.
"You look ravishing in that dress," He spoke after a few moments of silence Caroline could see the complete sincerity in them looking into his eyes.
"Well, I didn't have time to shop," She didn't even mind the how his dimpled grin only widened. He spun her around with ease that spoke of his experience. The couple remained silently for a few more steps, following the others along with ease.
"You're quite the dancer," He complimented, Caroline could feel his grip despite knowing he was handling her with an uncommon amount of fragility.
"Well I've had training. I'm Miss Mystic Falls." The blonde replied almost intensity of his gaze caused a fire to stir in her stomach. She did her best to ignore his constant gaze.
"I know."
XXX
After the opening waltz Caroline had to get away from Niklaus Mikaelson. His gaze reminded her of fire, waiting to consume whatever stroke his curiosity. And Caroline Forbes most definitely stroked his. Soon enough she found herself in front of a pair of horses. Smiling softly the vampire carefully stood in front of the animals, waiting for the instinctive fear to strike. It took moments before they seemed to understand that she meant them no harm and began to act as if she was not there outside of the occasional rub against her extended hand.
"You like horses?"
Caroline internally rolled her eyes, pulling her hand away from the horse. She slowly turned to face a smiling Niklaus Mikaelson, making his way over to her. He certainly looked the part of a predator, all dimples and an easy grin with eyes that spoke of a brilliant mind. Caroline felt her throat tighten at the site. All her plans of coming to the ball enjoying a dance and keeping it simple blew away from her.
She remembered this conversation, of how hurt he looked as she threw hate into his face. All over a boy who would choose to avenge all the wrongs committed against himself than be with the girl he claimed to love. There was more even the Caroline of back then understood that. She also knew that if she kept allowing him to leave and come back, she would be waiting forever.
She wanted to be a priority. Deserved to be one. Not a second or third even a fourth thought that entered her beloveds mind. Caroline had to give him the ultimatum, if only to save herself the heartbreak that could come sooner or later, when he stopped coming altogether. Something else keeping him away.
"Klaus, why did you invite me here?" Caroline found herself asking. While she didn't necessarily want to repeat this conversation. There was something forcing her to keep to the meaning.
Was fate messing with her? Allowing her to do some things only to force her to repeat conversations she would rather avoid? Is that what brought her here in the first place? Is so then what exactly did Fate want from a baby vampire, who was the least remarkable of her friends?
Klaus only smiled; Caroline refused to admit how satisfying that the man seemed to smile whenever he was around her.
"I fancy you is that so hard to believe?"
"Yes." Caroline found herself saying honestly. She knew what his response would be, yet her question would remain the same. What was it about a random blonde vampire that could catch his attention? No matter what happened in his world, he was always there for her. The sole exception was a few months before her wedding. Then he had appeared again, she was so relieved that she never bothered asking what happened. If he wanted to tell her then he would have.
He never did.
"Why? Your beautiful, your strong, full of light. I enjoy you."
Caroline felt the smile grow on her face match the one reflected on his. Stepping closer, she took great pleasure in seeing his adams apple move. She took note, saving that observation for later. Two pairs of blue eyes starred into each other's.
"Well don't" Caroline breathed softly as her eyes dipped towards his lips. His hand came up to cup her cheek. Causing her to look back into his eyes.
"My apologies where is your boyfriend?"
Caroline held her head up high, "I came alone."
"So, your unspoken for" He couldn't have said it without any more joy. She practically could hear his brain began to think. She found herself grateful for breaking up with Tyler and encouraging him to leave Mystic Falls. Knowing that with their group of friends, he would be forced to obey Klaus.
Klaus stepped back from her, so quickly that Caroline had to blink a few times before she understood what happened. Truth be told, she was not even the least bit upset. She looked over to the man who now was looking at the horses with genuine interest and she sensed a bit of sadness.
"You know horses are the opposite of people. They are loyal. My father hunted me for 1000 years and the closest he ever came was the day he killed my favorite horse. He severed its nick with a sword," Klaus confided, his eyes turning towards her. He wanted to see her reaction, everything about her intrigued him.
"Your father was a dick," She retorted much to his amusement. His laughter even spooked the horses, causing the two vampires to step farther away for the majestic beasts to calm down.
"My family tends to be more complicated than yours, love."
"We all have complicated Klaus. I allowed my dad to die the way he chose. It was the least I could give him, a choice. It was the hardest thing I've had to do. Perhaps you should try giving others more choices," Caroline paused to turn to him.
"To answer your question. Yes, I like horses, but I also like people and they actually like me. So, I will be inside."
XXX
Caroline looked up to find Rebekah making her way across the room.
"Rebekah," She greeted with a smile.
"Caroline. You look lovely this evening" The younger almost laughed at the clear effort it took for the compliment to leave her lips.
"I don't expect you to like me. I barely like you. Maybe that's because I see our similarities and that freaks me out. I don't know but I do know you do not like me. So please stop with the fake compliments. I only ask that you keep Matt out of whatever evil plan your planning against Elena." Caroline rambled, holding up her hand when the older blonde opened her mouth to speak.
Spotting Kol making his way over Caroline smiled at him, "Hello Kol, now that you are here maybe I will not have to repeat this. If you are at all grateful for undaggering you, I ask that you leave Matt out of any plans against Elena," The baby vampire raised her eyebrow when Kol sniggered.
"I wouldn't be laughing Kol, as bored as you are, I mean it. Elena has two vampires protecting her at all times, I doubt Rebekah would do anything physical to Elena. Simply due to Klaus's hybrid situation. Matt however only really has me, please do not hurt him."
Caroline walked away leaving two original vampires starring after her. The female sibling sighed, "If she had come a little bit later, she would have heard me ask you to leave Matt alone. That I changed my mind."
"Aww, did the football player get under your skin?" Kol raised his eyebrows suggestively causing his sister to slap him on the arm.
"Enough Kol. I mean it, you better listen to Caroline. Leave that boy alone," Warned Rebekah before she stomped off in a huff. Kol quickly spotted the baby vampire once again who had been found by his brother, Niklaus.
The youngest Mikaelson grinned, deciding that he could take his time messing with his older brother. The baby vampire was proving herself to be very interesting, a person that Kol did not want to immediately kill.
Who knows perhaps she could help him get the stick out of his two older brother's asses as well? A tap of glass alerted him that it was time for the evening feast. Quickly he made his way back to the staircase his mother was holding her court around.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a class. It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one. I'd like ot thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"
As he was about to sip on his drink, he saw the baby vampire quickly put her hands over his brothers drink. Scanning the room, he noticed that both Elijah and Rebekah had noticed the odd action as well. Spotting a waiter, he placed his glass onto the waiter's plate, giving an inhumanly paced nod to his siblings. Niklaus raised his eyebrow to the girl who remained close lipped. His brother's gaze turned down.
Ah sneaky little thing.
"Elijah are you not going to take a sip?" The doppelganger asked.
XXX
"So, what did you want to show me," Caroline asked once they reached a large portrait of a snowflake.
"One of my passions."
Caroline looked up to really study the painting retorting, "Impressive I take to the curators at the louvre are not on vervain?"
Klaus shrugged, his eyes never leaving her form. Watching her as she studied his work, "Well that's their mistake."
Caroline looked down and pointed asking, "What about these where did you steal this from?"
He found himself smiling. Flirtatiously he added, "Well that's a long story rest assured it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you."
The blonde looked down smiling as she carefully held his drawings, "Wait a second did you do these?"
"Yeah um actually one of my landscapes is hanging in the La Hermitage not that anyone would notice." Caroline rolls her eyes causing a small grin to appear on the hybrids face.
"Have you been?" He asks.
She answers honestly, "I've never really been anywhere."
He replied earnestly, "I'll take you. Wherever you want Rome, Paris, Tokyo?"
The two stares at each other, laughing unexpectedly.
"You can get anything you want with a snap of your fingers," Caroline murmured, "Why does everything need to be controlled by you? The need for hybrids…."
Klaus hissed, "Don't. Those are things you don't understand. And controlling? That is a big accusation their love."
Caroline shakes her head before starring into his eyes straight on, "I get it. Your father did not love you and you assume no one else will either. And that's why you compel people, or you sire them, or you try to buy them off. That's not how it works you don't connect with people because you don't even try to understand them!"
XXX
Caroline tried to leave, only she was stopped by Elijah who asked for an audience. Internally sighing knowing that her behavior earlier was bound to spark questions. So, she was guided upstairs away from the rest of the guests, luckily neither Elena nor her bodyguards seemed to notice. She spotted Klaus waiting next to a door. Upon spotting her he opened up a door allowing Caroline to enter first then Elijah.
The first thing Caroline noticed that the desk that stood in the center of the room was covered back in drawings. Soon the door opened again causing the blonde to turn and find herself facing the Original family, with the sole exception of Finn.
"Mind telling us why it was so important that we did not take a sip of that champagne?" Klaus asked, arms crossed their argument still on his mind evident by the angry glint in his eyes. Caroline gave the family a weak smile.
"It's a story that is hard to belief," She started, only to look towards Rebekah who laughed openly.
"Darling, we've been around a long time. Unbelievable tales are kind of our specialty" Rebekah explained, pointing to her siblings then herself.
The youngest vampire nodded, "I guess the best place to start would be the beginning."
Niklaus chuckled, "I prefer the end usually." Caroline rolled her eyes at Klaus's attempt at humor.
"Outside of Klaus's failed attempt at being humorous. I ask that no one interrupt me until I finish. Can I speak freely?' Caroline pointed towards the door.
Elijah nodded, "Don't worry Miss. Forbes, the room was spelled by a witch of Niklaus's."
At her questioning look, the blonde held up his hands "She owed me a favor, love. No compulsion or threats necessary."
Caroline began to tell her tall tale, of how the Bennett witches used the unstable magic from December 2090 to send to the present. How she was informed due to her being a vampire, and thus having magic in her system such a feat was possible.
"Magic always has a price" Kol spoke quietly, raising his hand in defense. "I'm not doubting her words, but I would like to know what price this piece of magic cost."
"As a vampire I am supposed to have memory with perfect recall, and I did until the witches sent me back. As being that is almost indestructible, and capable of withstanding the journey back in time, magic tried to take my memories. The Bennett ancestors found a loophole in hiding memories I believe they see as linked to what needs to change under a magical fog."
"Sort of like amnesia" Rebekah spoke out, "magic cannot take something if you do not have it."
"Exactly what I thought" Caroline smiled at Rebekah who beamed back hesitantly unused to the other girl being anything but snarky even if Rebekah usually snarked first. Her shoulders lowering a small piece of her defenses lowering against the blonde. Rebekah saw the way Niklaus looked at the girl, and how she looked back at him. The female Mikaelson knew that one day her brother would have this girl in this bed, she just doubted he understood that the look in his eye spoke of a long-lasting affection rather than his usual fleeting afflictions.
The girl did revive her without asking for a single favor and had yet to prove herself a traitor to her siblings. In fact, she seemed keen on proving herself to them, now sharing this highly unusual story. Caroline Forbes was not a very good actress on the best of days, more often than not her feeling were written across her face.
Rebekah was willing to give the Forbes girl a chance, especially considering it would make getting closer to Matt easier if she had a friend of his on her side. It also never hurt that she could potentially put her annoying brother in a food mood.
"Then if your memories are in this fog how will you change what the witches wish for you to change?" Elijah asked.
"They placed her memories under a fog with a trigger, as events come up so will the memories allowing Caroline access when needed but until then protecting the memories from magic" Kol explained, looking at the girl with curious eyes.
"Certain memories were left to me; I don't know why magic has not taken them, but they are not under the fog either."
Caroline cemented the claim by telling them of Rebekah and Kol's original plan for Matt this night. She also warned them that their mother was indeed plotting against them. What she did not tell them of just yet was what she knew of their futures, the knowledge not under the fog. The elder brothers looked toward their younger siblings.
"I couldn't go through with it," Rebekah admitted, Caroline even vows that this was the case in her original timeline as well. She tells them about Kol's actions, and Damon's. Of how Elena was summoned by Esther to give them a drop of doppelganger blood.
"So, you lived this life before," Kol mutters, being the first to speak after Caroline finishes her tale.
"You believe me," Caroline exclaimed to herself, shaking her head. She almost believed that they could never believe her.
"Kol and Rebekah have admitted to a plot which you knew of, and we did not. As unbelievable as it is, your tales of our mothers plot does not surprise me" Elijah vowed. His brow was furrowed the sole indication that he was deep in thought.
"It's not so farfetched an idea that our mother does not forgive me and is trying to kill us" Klaus growls. Caroline stepped closer to the seething blonde; Elijah made to stop her only for Rebekah to stay his hand. Niklaus looked down once he felt Caroline's hand upon his own.
"I am sorry," She whispered. Quietly the remaining Mikaelson's left the room to give the two of them some resemblance of privacy. The original hybrid gently took her hand and placed it on his arm, the younger vampire allowing him to lead her downstairs.